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Hello, everyone. I hope you all are doing well and staying safe. I’m humbled to share that I just officially got my CRISC (Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control) designation. I’ve committed to always writing down the tips to pass every certification exam I take as my token of gratitude and also to help CRISC aspirants out there, here is my story on how I passed the exam:

(P.S.: some of them are similar to the tips to pass a CISA exam and tips to pass a CGEIT exam I posted previously as I believed they shared the similar kind of necessary preparations)

 

1.   It always seems overwhelming, have confidence in yourself

I registered myself for the exam a year ago to only took the exam on the last possible date (1 year since the registration got approved). I kept delaying the preparation by telling myself that it would be an overwhelming process (talking about procrastination, I am a virtuoso. LoL). Other than that, I didn’t have enough confidence to take it sooner. What if I failed? I know the exam price isn’t cheap so I convinced myself only to take it when I am highly ready. Guess what? Little did I know, I can’t reschedule my exam date anymore because turned out I have spent almost 365 days postponing it. Hihi. And eventually, after the long delay, I only have 4 days of preparation! I was left panicked but there was no turning back. I can only move forward, ready or not.

 

If I can give my younger self some advice, it would be: certification exams always seem overwhelming. Have confidence in yourself and now start studying 😊

 2.     Give it up for criscexamstudy.com

Of course, 4 days of preparation is not a recommended practice. You all should learn from this procrastinator’s mistake of putting everything until the very end. With the limited time, I learned the material from criscexamstudy.com (this website was significantly helpful). Everyone, please study each material (which is neatly presented as key points--don’t we love that?) and the subsequent practice questions. I also identified my knowledge gaps and wrote down a note containing them. I reread it again whenever I could. I get a fairly comprehensive understanding of the key points covered in the CRISC exam in 2 days of studying it. It is safe to say that this website deserved an honorable mention.  

 

3. Attend a CRISC review training

When I said 4 days of preparation, what I meant is the intense self-study before the exam. However, definitely, the actual preparation wasn’t that short. Before attempting the CRISC exam, I attended preparation training. For those who want to strengthen their preparation and have the opportunity, please consider attending a CRISC review training. But don’t worry even if you can't sit in on the training, you can still have sufficient preparation.

 4. Obtain (technical and managerial) knowledge and experience in the IT risk and control fields

Having technical and managerial knowledge of IT risk and control is certainly substantial in solving CRISC exam questions. Regarding acquiring the needed knowledge, my advice is to read lots of references related to IT risk and control, discuss them with others, or join a community (or anything. Pick your favorite way of absorbing knowledge). Meanwhile, answering some CRISC exam questions, requires the candidate to be equipped with not only knowledge but also experience so real-life exposure will surely be beneficial. Experience shapes our logic, perspective, and wisdom which will make it easier for us to figure out the answers.

Besides, in my opinion, it's important to increase your exposure to IT terms and English (especially when IT isn't your major and English is not your first language). Familiarity with IT terms and English is advantageous!

 

5. Learn the CRISC Review Manual and the CRISC Review Questions, Answers & Explanations Manual (QAE)

Believe me that these two books published by ISACA are the sacred reference for every CRISC candidate. Take the time to read both of them, especially the QAE. Understand the explanation of the answers suggested by the book to get the logic, perspective, and wisdom that ISACA sets out. Also, make sure to study the latest version of these books. For now, the latest Review Manual is the 7th edition, and the QAE Review 6th edition.

6.  Let's practice through the mock exams

Having a mock exam is essential so that we get used to sitting and thinking without interruption and distraction for hours. Work on the questions until you score at least 80% right answers. I tried to complete each mock exam in 2 hours to exercise my quick thinking and ability to finish the exam under pressure. 

 

7. Mind our physical and mental state

Maintaining health and fitness for an exam is vital. Make sure you get enough sleep so that the next morning we are fit to do 150 questions in 4 hours. Also make sure we take our breakfast, arrive at the test center or proctored exam website early, and last but not least manage our emotional and mental state. Be calm. You have prepared enough and are ready to face this test. 

 

8. Pray

I will always repeat this in every exam tips I write because it is that salient. Pray that we will be at ease in working on those questions. Pray that the questions will favor our knowledge and preparation.

9. Miscellaneous Tips

a. First things first, read the syllabus to understand what is covered and the portion of each domain compared to the whole exam material.

b. Scheduling the exam is one of the best ways to start studying and then stick with the date. Please don't follow my experience of rescheduling it until the very last time.

c. The knowledge we gained from experience is something to be treated wisely: sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't. The knowledge that we have gained may not be in line with the standards/frameworks set by the ISACA, so we must identify the alignment of our knowledge with the ISACA's body of knowledge.

10.  Tips During the Exam:

a.  If you take the exam at the test center, pay attention to the temperature of the test room. If it is too cold to stay inside for 4 hours, wear a jacket. Also, sit as comfortable as possible. Four hours is not a short time, sweetie. 😊

b. Do it serenely. We have a relatively long time to do it. If we are calm, we’ll be more careful. On exams where there are many tricky questions and answers (and accuracy becomes the key), managing our tranquillity is a must.

c. Focus on the easy questions first. We can skip the difficult/long questions (don't forget to flag them). We can always come back to them later.

d. Be careful with the “almost correct” answers. In general, CRISC questions leave us with 2 alternative answers that both seem true. Hehe. Make sure you choose the right one, not one which looks like it.

e. The duration of the exam allows us to review the answers. Review the answers as if we do it again from the beginning. Don't get bored just yet even though your stamina and concentration have decreased. Use the 4 hours fully.

f. If you take the option of a proctored exam (like what I did this time), you have toilet breaks twice (10 minutes each). These breaks are also provided if you take the test in the test center. Read the exam guidance thoroughly to know the do and don’t, like we shouldn’t read the question aloud. I advise you to launch the exam 30 minutes before your exam time. That way, in case you face technical issues, you still have time to solve them.

g. Don't forget to fill out the post-test questionnaires.

Those are the tips I can share with everyone who wants to take the CRISC exam. Good luck, everyone. If you have anything to ask, feel free to reach out. It's my pleasure to help you. Cheers!

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Indonesian version: Pengalaman Mengikuti Ujian CRISC